Pillow Pop & La Fete de Noel—Finally!

Have you ever had cutter’s remorse? Perhaps after holding onto a pretty fabric bundle for years, just waiting for the right project to come along, and finally making that first irreversible slice?

I was a bit worried I’d experience such a feeling this week, when I finally—finally!—cut into a layer cake I’d bought forever ago. I so loved the swirls, florals, and sweet reds and greens in French General’s La Fete de Noel collection, but despite the passing of three holiday seasons, I still hadn’t done anything with them. The 10″ squares were lovely just as they were, all together in a nice, neat stack, and I was reluctant to mess with perfection. Especially for anything less than the perfect project!

That said, I’ve made things with what I thought were the best fabric-project combos, only to have second thoughts in the end. So earlier this week, with Christmas a mere 50 days away (according to Mom, who has a countdown app and updates me regularly!), I decided to just do it. I grabbed my layer cake, a rotary cutter, and this:

Like La Fete de Noel, I bought Pillow Pop several years ago, in a quilt shop in Sedona, AZ. I was very new to sewing then, and pillows seemed like great mini-projects for a beginner. Of course, they’re great projects for all skill levels, and I enjoy making them now more than I ever have. I also love pillows in general; they’re powerful design tools that can totally transform a room’s mood and feel.

Since I didn’t need an entire layer cake, I had fun playing with the colors and layout of a few favorite prints.

I sewed my rows and started quilting yesterday, and hope to have the pillow done by the end of the week.

As difficult as it was to make that first slice, I’m so happy I did. Now La Fete de Noel will be enjoyed by everyone who comes over, as this holiday pillow will soon join others on the living room couch. I can’t wait to see the entire decorative collection in the soft light of the Christmas tree!

And since I have several pieces of layer cake leftover, it might be fun to make one or two other coordinating Pillow Pop projects. I’ll add them to my holiday sewing list, which, much like Santa’s gift list, is growing quite long. Luckily, the jolly guy and I still have 47 days to get it all done!

While La Fete de Noel is no longer widely available, you can still find some yardage online. And French General and Moda Fabrics released another beautiful holiday line, Petites Maisons de Noel, this year. (I actually have a jelly roll just waiting for the next perfect project!) See the pretty prints HERE!